Zimmerman Family: August 2009

It's been while since I've updated so I thought I'd give an update on our happenings.

Elli started pre-school last week. The first two days she cried and ever since has loved it! She goes every day of the week in the afternoons. It's the perfect transition for her. She still gets daycare and her friends she's known her whole life in the mornings and then school in the afternoons. This pre-school program is through LPS (Lincoln Public Schools) and runs on the normal school schedule so it's basically just like kindergarten to her. Elli doesn't adjust to change very well so I knew if we took her out of daycare to full day kindergarten it would be very hard on her. This way she'll know what school is all about and the transition will be easier next fall. It's so hard for me to believe that we are at this stage with her. It has gone SO fast and she is an AMAZING little girl with a HUGE heart! Nick and I have been very spoiled with her!

Before preschool on her 1st day.

Elli doesn't actually ride the bus but she wanted her picture taken next to it.

After school on her first day.

Here is a picture of Elli's "little -BIG" brother sitting on her lap. Briggs is almost exactly 3 years younger than Elli and weighs only 4lbs. less. He's average for his age and Elli is tiny for her age.

More exciting news... Briggs is doing SO AMAZING with his hearing!! We had a mapping appointment for him last week and the words out of our audiologist mouth were, "he is WAY above the curve or average". She said, she didn't want us to think other kids don't do as well as him but he is VERY advanced. It was SO great to hear those words. Our audiologist is definitely one to play devils advocate, which at times can be discouraging because we report things and she always challenges us on whether or not he's really doing it but this time she witnessed it all so it was fun to prove to her that he really is doing the things we report!

Briggs is 4 1/2 months hearing on his right side and 3 months hearing on his left side. He can identify a cow, pig, sheep, monkey, ghost, horse, duck, ball... I have a bag with these items in them and about 8 other random things. I ask Briggs, "where's your cow? Mooo" and he reaches in and grabs his cow. Then he puts it up to his mouth and says, "moo". He can do this for all the items listed above. If you ask Briggs if wants to take a bath he walks right to the bathroom, opens the shower curtain and tries to get in the tub. If you ask him if he's hungry and tell him to go get in his chair he walks to the table and pulls out his chair. If you ask him to throw something away he walks to the trash and throws it away. If you ask his to "knock, knock, knock" on the door he'll walk over and knock on the door. If you ask him to get his shoes, he'll go get his shoes and bring them to us. If you ask him if he wants to go outside he waves bye and walks towards the door. He waves hi and bye and says "hah" for hi and "bah-bah" for bye bye. He says "uh-uh-uh" for up-up-up. If you ask him for loves he leans in for a hug and/or kiss. If you tell him to get a ball he'll walk right over and pick up a ball. He's imitating alot of words and he's babbling all the time! He's having his baby conversations with us all the time. These are just some of the things he's doing and only at 4 1/2 months hearing!! He's just doing amazing!!

People who have never dealt with the "hearing" issue don't understand that the child's brain has NEVER (in our case) heard sound. They assume that once a child is implanted they should be where their normal hearing peers are right away. They don't understand the "catch up " part until it's explained. So his brain has not been able to associate any sounds with objects or people, until he was implanted. When he was first activated his brain had to figure out what in the heck this new sense was... then it has to start putting the puzzle together. So for him to have accomplised all the above and more in just 4 1/2 months is truly AMAZING!!

Tonight we are going to the fair and that will be fun! Tomorrow Nick and I are in a work golf tournament. That should be interesting.

That's all for now!

Yesterday was my mother-in-law Sandy's birthday and we celebrated by going to Applebee's (Elli's favorite restaurant) and then riding the carousel at the mall. Elli kept singing happy birthday to grandma in the restaurant. It was cute! The carousel is one of Elli's favorite things to do and it is a treat for only special occasions (it cost $2 for a 2 minute ride). It was also Briggs first time and he thought that horse was pretty special! He was SO excited and then when it took off he got this very concerned look on his face. A few seconds later he was all smiles again. After the ride we stopped in the Husker store...25 MORE DAYS TILL FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!!!!!! GOOOOOOOO BIGGGGGGGG REDDDDDDD!!!! GO BIG RED! We LOVE Husker football!! Pretty big deal for us Nebraskan's... Anyway, Nick's mom then SPOILED us with new Husker apperal! Did I mention this was HER birthday!! We were supposed to be spoiling her! I know I'll do the same for my kids and grandkids but at the time we felt SO bad BUT are SO thankful to have such wonderful parents!! Thank you SANDY and we hope you had a great birthday!!!!!